Today'sNews Clips, August 17, 2011

Former Congressman Tom Tancredo filed paperwork to form a new “super” Political Action Committee called the American Legacy Alliance that will raise unlimited funds around the cause of illegal immigration.

We told you on Tuesday that Republicans were targeting Florida Democratic Party Chairman Rod Smith for taking a different position on redistricting as a party boss than when he was helping draw district boundaries in the state Senate.

Today, the Florida Republican Party of Florida issued another press release showing that four Democrats joined Smith in voting for the 2002 plan and "to support current legislative lines they now criticize." To be fair, all four Democrats — Skip Campbell, Steve Geller, Al Lawson, and Tom Rossin — are out of office and we haven't heard any of the four publicly criticize the current process. But that's beside the point, Republicans say.

"Florida Democrats have proven they have no credibility when they criticize the redistricting process,” RPOF spokesman Brian Hughes said. "Republicans in Florida have offered a bipartisan process for redistricting; one that respects the law and will include a diversity of representation that reflects the population of our great state."

Pennsylvania:Eyes turn to former Pennsylvania House Speaker John Perzel as his former aides plan guilty pleas

From Charles Thompson for the Patriot News

Just a few weeks before former House Speaker John Perzel and former House Republican staffers are slated to go to trial, three of Perzel’s former aides plan to plead guilty.

Could Perzel follow suit?

While Perzel said in one published report Tuesday that he doesn’t intend to plead guilty, the possibility of a deal might be greater than ever.

Bottom line: Republicans will continue to control the agenda in the Capitol, but it will be difficult for Gov. Scott Walker and other GOP leaders to get everything they want.

Holperin said he believes his win and that of Wirch showed that voters in both districts supported the move by the 14 Senate Democrats to leave the state earlier this year to delay a vote on the budget-repair bill that limited collective bargaining for public employees. "Maybe it shows that voters indicated they deserved more time to let their voice be heard on such an important piece of legislation," he said.

Montana: Schweitzer denies interest in presidency in 2016 as he gives out-of-state speeches

From Charles Johnson for the Billings Gazette

HELENA — Gov. Brian Schweitzer is off to speak at Governor's Day at the Illinois State Fair on Wednesday, the latest in a series of out-of-state speeches, but he pooh-poohed a national magazine report that he's gearing up to run for president in 2016.

U.S. News & World Report columnist Paul Bedard wrote an article last week headlined, "Buzz Building for Montana Gov. Brian Schweitzer in 2016."

The author compared Schweitzer, who "brought down the house" at the 2008 Democratic nominating convention, with Barack Obama, who did likewise at the 2004 convention, and Bill Clinton, who bored the audience in nominating Mike Dukakis in 1988.

Clark Durant, founder of a Detroit charter school, is set to announce that he will run against former Rep. Pete Hoekstra in the Republican primary for the chance to challenge Sen. Debbie Stabenow for her seat next year.